FALL 2017 MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

BREAKING THE PROTEIN-DNA BOND

Study finds that free-floating proteins break up protein-DNA bonds at the single-binding site

he verdict is in: too many processes in living cells by binding and unbinding to DNA. single, flirty proteins In the experiment, Marko and his team can break up a strong developed a concentration of TF proteins relationship. bound to DNA mixed with unbound TF proteins, which competed with the bound Published in the Proceedings of the T proteins for their binding sites. They National Academy of Sciences, a new observed that unbound proteins caused Olvera de la Cruz interdisciplinary the bound proteins to dissociate from the study reports that the important protein- DNA. The unbound proteins then stole the DNA bond can be broken by unbound newly available single-binding sites. proteins floating around in the cell. This Monica Olvera de la Cruz, the Lawyer MONICA OLVERA DE discovery sheds light on how molecules Taylor Professor of Materials Science self-organize and how gene expression is LA CRUZ RECEIVED and Engineering, led the development dynamically controlled. THE 2017 POLYMER of a theoretical model and performed “The way proteins interact with DNA molecular dynamics simulations to show PHYSICS PRIZE FROM determines the biological activity of all the prevalence of the protein-DNA break THE AMERICAN living organisms,” said John F. Marko, up at the single-binding site due to the professor of molecular biosciences, PHYSICAL SOCIETY competitor proteins. This disproves physics, and astronomy. FOR “OUTSTANDING former beliefs that protein-DNA bonds To understand this vital relationship, were unaffected by unbound proteins and CONTRIBUTIONS TO Marko led a study examining the sites instead resulted from more “cooperative” THE THEORETICAL where a single protein binds to DNA. interactions among many molecules, large Strands of DNA have specific sites on UNDERSTANDING protein clusters, or long DNA segments. which other molecules can bind and OF POLYMERS AND “Our results suggest that protein-DNA become a part of the DNA’s genetic code. dissociation could have a profound effect THE EFFECTS OF One type of DNA-binding proteins, called on the dynamics of biological processes ELECTROSTATIC transcription factors (TF), are key players that depend on protein binding in vivo,” in the transcription of genetic information INTERACTIONS ON Olvera de la Cruz said. “This may be an from DNA to messenger RNA (mRNA) to THEIR STRUCTURE important factor to take into account when produce new proteins or other types of modeling gene expression in living cells.” AND PROPERTIES.” RNA. TF proteins control the biological FROM THE CHAIR

September 18 to highlight the Society. Such exchanges reflect play in creating new technologies Dear Friends, research accomplishments of the global nature of our research and solving societal problems. The many of our undergraduates and educational activities and events that week will begin with s I approach my first who have spent the summer continue to foster an international the annual Hilliard Symposium and anniversary as chair, I am working on research, supported community. Celebration Banquet on Thursday A reflecting on the many by the Meister Summer research I know some of you will return May 17, followed by opportunities recent accomplishments of our grants and others. In fact, the to campus for Homecoming. The to connect with friends and faculty, students, and alumni, some campus has been buzzing this department conference room will classmates. We’ll be sending more of which you will find described summer with undergraduate be available for an informal “open information soon. We hope you in this newsletter. These accom- materials researchers from all house” where you can gather and will join us. plishments reflect leadership and over the country, hosted by our chat with faculty and students service, as well as research at the affiliated centers, the Materials on that Friday, October 6. We look very forefront of our field. They high- Research Center, the Center for forward to seeing you. light the vibrant atmosphere that Hierarchical Materials by Design Other fall events include the makes this department a wonderful (CHiMaD), and the Soft and Hybrid Jerome B. Cohen Lectures which place to be and one that I am proud Experimental are scheduled for October 16 and to lead. Apart from a significant Resource (SHyNE). CHiMaD also 17. Professor Daan Frenkel from the list of faculty awards, there are hosted 17 high school teachers University of Cambridge, winner two points I would like to highlight: from the US and Canada ASM of the 2016 Boltzmann Medal, will James Rondinelli was promoted to Materials Genome Camp, organized present two lectures. associate professor with tenure and by CHiMaD, QuesTek Innovations, In addition to these events, I Erik Luijten Jiaxing Huang was promoted to full and NU-MSE. Several students have would like to announce that we are Department Chair professor. In addition, we welcomed been away from campus, including planning a special MSE REUNION a new staff member: Lauren a group who spent the summer at for the third weekend in May. It is Hamilton succeeded Meghan the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam noteworthy that the Northwestern UPCOMING EVENTS Gelecke as program assistant. studying materials related to Board of Trustees approved the OCTOBER 6 I am also looking forward to cultural heritage objects and name change from Department Homecoming what the next year will bring. As students who spent the summer of Metallurgy to “Graduate Department Open House September approaches, we are doing research at the Technical Department of Materials Science” Cook Hall, Room 2058 1-3 p.m. preparing to welcome an incoming University of Munich. In December, in December 1958. As we celebrate OCTOBER 16 & 17 class of 36 PhD and 21 MS students. faculty and students will participate this first Materials Science Jerome B. Cohen Lectures The Material Advantage Chapter in the International Conference department, we are also looking Daan Frenkel will hold a speaking contest on of the African Materials Research forward to the role that materials University of Cambridge

TMS Renames Educator Award for Weertmans Julia and Johannes Weertman have educated generations of students

he Minerals, Metals, and Materials Previously called the TMS Educator Julia and Johannes Weertman Society (TMS) has established the Award, the annual honor was instituted T TMS Julia and Johannes Weertman in 1985 to recognize outstanding Educator Award. contributions to education in metallurgical exemplary ways,” said James J. Robinson, The award honors Julia and Johannes engineering and/or materials science executive director of TMS. “This award Weertman, who are both Walter P. Murphy and engineering. The award is not limited seems most fitting as it will honor them Emeriti Professors in Materials Science to the classroom as it can include the as educators to the many students they and Engineering in Northwestern’s acknowledgement of innovative ways to have touched and mentored. Their legacy McCormick School of Engineering. educate the general public. will live on in many ways including in this Members of the National Academy of “TMS is honored to be able to bestow Society award.” Engineering, the Weertmans are pioneers this award in the names of Julia and in materials research and have educated Johannes, valued members who have generations of students. contributed to TMS and science in many

2 Northwestern University • McCormick School of Engineering LAURENCE MARKS Upcoming Events

RECEIVES SURFACE André Taylor Yale University STRUCTURE PRIZE September 19 Donald Siegal University of Michigan Award honors Marks’ outstanding achievement September 26 Jonathan Rivnay in the field of surface and interface structure Northwestern October 3 orthwestern Homecoming Open House Engineering’s Laurence October 6, 1-3 p.m. Cook Hall, room 2058 Marks received the 2017 N Cohen Lectures: Daan Frenkel Surface Structure Prize from the October 17 International Conference on the Xin Sun Structure of Surfaces (ICSOS). Oakridge National Laboratory October 24 The international award each year recognizes a researcher for outstanding Andrea Liu achievement in the field of surface and University of Pennsylvania interface structure. October 31 Marks, a professor of materials science Zhenan Bao and engineering, accepted the award at the Stanford University ICSOS-12 meeting, held July 23-28 at the Marks November 7 Georgia Institute of Technology. Nancy Sottos “It is a great honor to receive this prize University of from my peers all over the world,” Marks November 14 said. “I really owe everything to my very “IT IS A GREAT talented graduate students — both HONOR TO RECEIVE Veronica Augustyn past and present — and to the patience THIS PRIZE FROM North Carolina State University of my wife.” MY PEERS ALL OVER November 21 A theoretical and experimental engineer, Marks is renowned for his contributions THE WORLD.” to the study of nanoparticles and his LAURENCE MARKS work in the fields of electron microscopy, diffraction, and crystallography. He discovered a type of nanoparticle, the the atomic structure of surfaces and Marks Decahedron, which has become bulk materials.” He has received several his most highly cited work. His current awards, including the 2015 Warren Award research interests include transmission from the American Crystallographic electron microscopy, density functional Association for his contributions to theory methods, direct methods for electron diffraction, a Sloan Foundation inversion of diffraction data, surface Fellowship from the Alfred P. Sloan science particularly of oxides, tribology, hip Foundation, and the Burton Medal from the replacements, and nanoparticle structure, Electron Microscopy Society of America. growth, and plasmonic properties. He also served as the 2015 Astor Visiting In 2001, Marks was elected fellow of Lecturer at the University of Oxford. the American Physical Society for his A member of the Northwestern faculty “contributions to quantitative imaging since 1985, Marks earned his BA and PhD and diffraction methods for determining from the University of Cambridge.

Materials Science and Engineering • Fall 2017 3 Hilliard Symposium 2017

The 30th annual Hilliard Symposium, 3RD PLACE organized by Professor Yip-Wah Chung, Michael Whittaker (Joester) was held on May 18 at Northwestern’s “Synthesis of High-temperature Materials Norris University Center. Alumna at Ambient Conditions” Christina Freyman (PhD ’06, Chung) delivered the keynote address, “How Do We Measure Success? The Evaluation Jeffrey Cain (Dravid) of Federal Investments in Research and “Predictive Synthesis of 2D Transition Development.” Freyman is a director in Metal Dichalcogenide Heterostructures SRI International’s Center for Innovation Hilliard Symposium organizer Yip-Wah Chung and Alloys” Strategy and Policy, where she focuses with speaker Christina Freyman. on science and engineering indicators, Gavin Campbell (Bedzyk) workforce issues, and R&D programs for “Epitaxial Graphene Encapsulated Surface Ethan Secor (Hersam) the federal government. Reconstruction of Ge(110)” “Production, Patterning, and Application of Graphene Inks” Linda Guiney (Hersam) SPEAKERS “Three-dimensional Printing of Hexagonal Yue Sun (Voorhees) Boron Nitride for Biomedical and Electronic “Three-dimensional Study of Concurrent Applications” Dendrite Growth and Coarsening During 1ST PLACE Solidification in Al-Cu Alloys” Kyoungdoc Kim (Voorhees) Stephanie Moffitt (Bedzyk/T. Marks) “First-principles/Phase-field Modeling Zhiyuan Sun (Lauhon/Seidman) “Developing Structure-Property of θ’ Precipitation in Al-Cu Alloys” “Novel Dopant Engineering Methods in Relationships in Amorphous Transparent Semiconductor Nanowires” Conducting Oxides” Soo Kim (Wolverton) “First-principles Design and Investigation 2ND PLACE of Mn-based Lithium-ion Battery Cathode Ashwin Narayanan (Stupp) Materials” “Ferroelectricity and Second Harmonic Andrew Mannix (Hersam) Generation in Organic Supramolecular “Exploring Synthetic Elemental 2D Charge-transfer Co-crystals” Materials”

CONTRIBUTIONS

MATERIALS SCIENCE Mr. Thomas A. Langdo JOHANNES AND MORRIS E. FINE LECTURE AND ENGINEERING JULIA RANDALL Kristen Erica Pappacena, PhD William O. Gentry, PE WEERTMAN GRADUATE 3M Company Michael L. Priwer, PhD FELLOWSHIP FUND Mel I. Mendelson, PhD Arcelor Mittal Mark and Anita Pucci Family Joseph S. Santner, PhD Foundation Carelyn E. Campbell, PhD Mr. Jason Ross Branden Semyon Vaynman, PhD Mark S. Pucci, PhD Prof. Stephen H. Carr Adrian P. Brody, PhD Mr. Terrence R. Wilkinson Andrew J. Purdes, PhD Rong-Tsang Chen, PhD Ms. Bonnie Wei-Fong Chang James G. Zwissler, PhD Tsu-Wei Chou, PhD Mr. Young Chang Mr. James M. Rondinelli Aaron Wilbur Saak, PhD Stephen T. Gonczy, PhD Rebecca Cortez, PhD Donations made between Mrs. Joanna H. Gwinn Mr. Manuel Henrique Dos Santos John S. Smart, III, PhD August 23, 2016 and July 20, 2017. Dr. Don M. Lipkin The Dow Chemical Company Tao Sun, PhD If you would like to contribute George William Nieman, PhD to MSE funds, please contact Ford Motor Company Anil V. Virkar, PhD Patrick Hankey at patrick. Kathryn Jean Wahl, PhD Joseph S. Santner, PhD Fidelity Investments [email protected]. Charitable Gift Fund Sheldon M. Wecker, PhD Prof. David N. Seidman Brent Alan Fiedler, PhD Ms. Susan Wright Prof. Bruce W. Wessels Todd Stuart Gross, PhD Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company Mr. James P. Hughes Philip C. Yashar, PhD Prakash Kolli, PhD Mr. Thomas Yeh Aaron D. Krawitz, PhD James G. Zwissler, PhD

4 Northwestern University • McCormick School of Engineering ALUMNI HONORED

Yoshio Aoki and Chantal Sudbrack received awards at annual banquet

wo outstanding alumni were honored at the 2017 Annual Alumni Celebration Banquet on Thursday, May 18. Yoshio Aoki received the TDistinguished Career Achievement Award, and Chantal Sudbrack received the Early Career Achievement Award.

YOSHIO AOKI (MS ’72, PhD ’76, Brittain) Vice president for external collaboration at Professor Robert P.H. Chang presents the award Chantal Sudbrack with Professor David Seidman the National Institute for Materials Science to Yoshio Aoki Aoki served as the president and CEO of Optware Corporation (a spin-out venture of CHANTAL produce an intermetallic alloy, which was Sony Corporation) for five years before next to impossible to atom probe. It took

joining NIMS, one of the largest scientific K. SUDBRACK two months of unsuccessful atom probes (PhD ’04, Seidman) research centers in Japan. At Northwestern, and then SEM to sort out the issue. Back Superalloy metallurgist at NASA Glenn he helped establish the NU-NIMS Center then, the Seidman’s group custom 3-D Research Center for Materials Innovation, one of the atom probe was not operational during Sudbrack is a superalloy metallurgist in collaborative centers between NIMS my entire first year. Though I didn’t have the Materials and Structures Division in and other institutions. much data for my qualifier, I fondly look the High Temperature and Smart Alloys back to brainstorming how to fix the broken What are some of your most memorable Branch of the NASA Glenn Research Center, instrument and learning the “pitfalls” of classes or experiences? where she works on projects related to instrumentation. Professor J. Weertman’s “Dislocation additive manufacturing, reliability, and Theory” class was so useful for my first R&D durability of turbo-machinery used in What have been your most memorable or subject at Sony Central Research Lab — aerospace engine components. proudest career moments? an image sensor called defect-free CCD. I enjoy building on the legacy of my mentors Describe how your experience in the and colleagues by supporting young What have been your most memorable or Department of Materials Science and researchers in their pursuit of scientific proudest career moments? Engineering shaped your career. research. It is extraordinarily rewarding I successfully managed Sony’s first R&D I have been fortunate to enjoy both a to watch my mentees progress in their operation in the United States and the first friendship and mentorship from my adviser careers. I’m proud of publishing my PhD US business unit. Then I was recruited to Professor David Seidman that has extended thesis work in Nature Materials, winning a become president of its office in Japan, well beyond my time as a graduate student. NASA grant for new innovation, organizing where I tripled sales revenue in two years. His connections helped me find a job at my first technical symposium for the TMS, At NIMS, I doubled research funds from NASA. That experience showed me the and managing and leading a large group on industrial partners, increased license importance of building collaborations and an additive project work. income by more than eight times, increased good will within my organization and with the joint collaboration centers with outside contacts. What advice would you give to industrial partners from one to 10, and grew current students? What are some of your most memorable joint collaboration centers with academic The most successful people I admire classes or experiences? partners from zero to four. keep a long-term dream in mind. In the I learned early about the setbacks that shorter term, they focus on obtaining skills, What advice would you give to go hand-in-hand with doing research. education, experience, and connections current students? For my first set of samples, the NASA that will build toward their dream. As you You should always keep challenging technician responsible for casting our begin your careers, keep in mind that yourself. alloy buttons accidentally switched positions offered today may open the doors the chromium and aluminum bottles to for the ones you want tomorrow.

Materials Science and Engineering • Fall 2017 5 FACULTY NEWS Lauren Kearney (Dunand) received the Hilliard Theo Gao (BS ’16), who is now a PhD student Award for Leadership, Scholarship, and Service. at Stanford, received a National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship. Zdeněk Bažant, who has a courtesy Sophomore Ben Laning and freshman Grace appointment in the department, was selected Young received Meister Summer Research Jeff Gotro (PhD ’83, Graessley) recently to receive the ASME Medal. Grants. Laning will work with Sossina Haile’s published the Encyclopedia of Polymer Science group to explore “Synthesis for Solid Acid Fuel with collaborator R. Bruce Prime. Sossina Haile became an associate fellow of Cells,” and Young will work with John Rogers’ Peijun Guo (PhD ’16, Chang; MS ’11 Olvera de the Ethiopian Academy of Sciences in 2016. group on “Integrating Thermal Flow Sensors la Cruz) received the Enrico Fermi Fellowship into Microfluidic Sweat Devices for Continuous Mark Hersam is a finalist for the 2017 at Argonne National Laboratory. He also Sweat-Rate Measurement.” Blavatnik National Awards for Young received the Materials Research Society Gold Scientists. BS/MS student Norman Luu received the spring Graduate Student Awards fall 2016 MRS Meeting Jiaxing Huang received a Humboldt Research 2017 Chicago Regional ASM Scholarship. in Boston. Award for collaboration at the Max Planck Graduate student Chris Mizzi (L. Marks) received Benjamin Leever (PhD Institute of Colloids and Interfaces and was the 2017 International Centre for Diffraction Data ’11, Hersam) received the promoted to full professor. (ICDD) Ludo Frevel Crystallography Scholarship. Vincent J. Russo Award for Leadership Excellence from Yonggang Huang, who has a courtesy Senior Jake Song (Keten, the Air Force Research Lab appointment in the department, was elected Shull) received the Hilliard Materials and Manufacturing to the National Academy of Engineering. Award for Research Directorate. Leever and his colleagues also and Design for his work Teri Odom, who has a courtesy appointment in received the Robert T. Schwartz Engineering “Dynamics, Mechanics, the department, was selected as one of three Achievement Award for their work in the and Multi-Scale Modelling winners of the 2017 ACS Nano Lectureship. development of conformal antennae that can be of Polymer Nanostructures.” He also received integrated onto an unmanned vehicle. Greg Olson received a the 2017 Harold B. Gotaas Undergraduate 2016 Tibbetts Award from Research Award. Ashley Paz y Puente (PhD ’16, Dunand), became the US Small Business an assistant professor in the Department of Lanhe Zhang (Torkelson) received the 2016 Administration for his Mechanical and Materials Engineering at the Johannes and Julia Randall Weertman Graduate materials design company University of Cincinnati. QuesTek Innovations. He Fellowship. was also honored with a Materials by Design Symposium at the 2017 TMS meeting on the STAFF NEWS occasion of his 70th birthday. ALUMNI NEWS John Rogers was elected into the American Jim Hahn, physics student Michael Arnold (PhD ’06, Stupp, Hersam), Institute for Medical and Biological shop instructor and associate professor at the University of Engineering (AIMBE) College of Fellows. instrument maker, retired Wisconsin-Madison, was recently named a US (for a second time) on James Rondinelli received the 2017 MRS runner-up for the ASPIRE international prize for December 6 after 56 years Outstanding Young Investigator Award and was innovation in research and education sponsored with Northwestern. He promoted to associate professor with tenure. by the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. joined the Department of Materials Science and David Seidman will receive Karen Chen-Wiegart (PhD ’11 Dunand) became Engineering’s machine shop in July 18, 1960. In the 2019 ASM Gold Medal an assistant professor in the Department of the past two decades, he continued part-time from ASM International. Materials Science and Chemical Engineering at as the instructor and adviser in the physics SUNY Stony Brook. student shop. Bruce Wessels was selected as a lifetime Ram Devanathan (PhD ’93, Meshii), technical member of TMS. group manager for the Reactor Materials and Mechanical Design group at Pacific Northwest Special Lectures National Lab (PNNL), was recently quoted in the 2016-17 STUDENT NEWS international press as a membrane separa- tion expert. Morris E. Fine Lecture Kyle Bushick and Yvonne Chart received Alix Deymier (PhD ’12 Dunand) accepted a Outstanding MSE Junior and Sophomore tenure-track assistant professor position in the October 11, 2016 Awards, respectively. Department of Biomedical Engineering at the Lorna Gibson, MIT University of Connecticut. Graduate students Pengcheng Chen (Mirkin) John E. Dorn Lecture and Won-Kyu Lee (Odom) received Materials Honorary alumna Mildred January 31, 2017 Research Society Gold Graduate Student Dresselhaus (Doctor Jerry Tersoff, IBM Awards at the spring 2017 MRS meeting. of Science ‘03) died February 20 in Cambridge, Senior Kyujin Jang was among 17 students Dow Lecture Massachusetts, at the age to receive a Korean-American Scientists and May 2, 2017 of 86. An Institute Professor Engineers Association scholarship. Paula Hammond, MIT Emerita of Physics and of Electrical Engineering Joohoon Kang (Hersam) received the Materials and Computer Science at MIT, Dresselhaus Jerome B. Cohen Lectures Research Society Silver Graduate Student received many prestigious awards, including the May 30 and 31, 2017 Award at the fall 2016 MRS Meeting in Boston. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2014. David Muller, Cornell University

6 Northwestern University • McCormick School of Engineering SERENDIPITY UNCOVERS BOROPHENE’S POTENTIAL

Organic material until borophene is integrated with other materials. Now Hersam’s team — and a self-assembles next to bit of serendipity — have successfully borophene with nearly accomplished this integration. Because borophene does not appear perfect interface in nature, scientists must grow it in the laboratory by synthesizing it on a sheet early two years ago, borophene of silver. Hersam’s team deposited an didn’t even exist. Just months organic material on top of the borophene, Nafter a Northwestern Engineering in an attempt to integrate the two and Argonne National Laboratory team materials. What happened next was a discovered the material, another team surprise. The organic material, which is Hersam led by Professor Mark Hersam is already known to self-assemble on essentially making strides toward understanding its any material, instead diffused off the challenge to creating a sharp interface — complicated chemistry and realizing its borophene and onto the silver sheet. getting materials to touch but not mix. electronic potential. The result was a self-assembled The research was published in the First reported in December 2015, monolayer of the organic material journal Science Advances. Professor borophene is a two-dimensional, metallic directly next to the borophene, forming a Erik Luijten co-authored the paper. sheet of boron, the element commonly nearly perfect interface. Well-controlled Xiaolong Liu, a student in Northwestern’s used in fiberglass. Although borophene interfaces between distinct materials Applied Physics Graduate Program, was holds promise for possible applications enable integrated devices, including the paper’s first author. ranging from electronics to photovoltaics, diodes and photovoltaics. Hersam’s these applications cannot be achieved surprising technique bypassed the typical

DESIGNING NEW MATERIALS FROM ‘SMALL’ DATA

Team develops unique exhibit useful electronic properties, such as ferroelectricity and piezoelectricity. workflow to design new “When others look for new materials, materials typically they look in places where they have a lot of data from similar materials,” inding new functional materials said Associate Professor James M. is always tricky. But searching for Rondinelli. “When you don’t have a lot Fvery specific properties among a of information, learning from the data relatively small family of known materials becomes a difficult problem.” is even more difficult. Along with Los Alamos’s Prasanna Now a team from Northwestern Balachandran, Rondinelli built a database of known materials using machine learning Engineering and Los Alamos National Rondinelli Laboratory has found a workaround. The to identify chemical compositions that group developed a novel workflow that are likely candidates for the potential combines machine learning and density new material. The work was published functional theory calculations to create in the February 17 issue of Nature design guidelines for new materials that Communications.

Materials Science and Engineering • Fall 2017 7 Nonprofit Organization U.S. POSTAGE PAID Northwestern University Technological Institute 2145 Sheridan Road Evanston, Illinois 60208-3100

Sketching Sensors with Conducting Polymer Pen

Graduate students Daniel Hickox-Young and Luke Prestowitz developed a novel “smart ink” pen, which propelled them to the KAUST DIY Electronics Innovation Challenge, an international contest to encourage the development of creative and inexpensive electronics.

Called the “PolySketch Pen,” the patent-pending tool culminated from a course project in MSE 337: Introduction to Conducting Polymers, developed and taught by Professor Jiaxing Huang. The pen contains a conductive polymer ink made from dispersed polyaniline nanofibers in water and can be used to sketch chemical and mechanical sensors. Hickox-Young and Prestowitz worked out the right additives to help the ink dry quickly and make writing smooth on paper.